Marcus Lemonis: The Lebanese Orphan Who Became The Transformer

Making It TV Marcus Lemonis The Lebanese Orphan Who Became The Transformer

(Photo: Erik Unger)

"I decided that if I wanted to be successful, I had to get beat up, learn from others rather than from my family," Lemonis says.

It wasn't just any family that adopted Marcus Lemonis from a Beirut orphanage when he was nine months old. His father and grandfather ran the largest Chevy dealerships in Miami and Tampa. After graduating from Marquette University, in Milwaukee, Lemonis returned to Florida and started selling cars at his grandfather's dealership. At 22, he made a failed run as a Democrat for an open state representative's seat in South Florida, then chose not to rejoin the family business. "I decided that if I wanted to be successful, I had to get beat up, learn from others rather than from my family," Lemonis says. He took a job at AutoNation, the country's largest car dealer, and worked his way up to regional manager. Then he took some advice from a family friend, Lee Iacocca (the former head of Chrysler Corporation), who told him the path to long-term success lay in finding an industry that was ripe for transformation. Lemonis sniffed opportunity in the fragmented recreational vehicle industry. At the time, most RV dealers were small independents who typically sold only one brand and offered poor customer ser-vice. Lemonis poured most of his limited savings into a business plan, inspired by the AutoNation model, for a national chain of RV dealers that sold and serviced multiple brands. His new company, FreedomRoads, began buying up independents and, in less than three years, has become the country's largest RV dealer, selling 18 brands and racking up more than $1.5 billion in revenues last year.

Success allows Lemonis, 32, to leave the office early every Monday to teach Catholic education classes for sixth graders at a local church.

When FreedomRoads managers come to town for business, they stay at Lemonis's house in Lake Forest rather than at a hotel. He and his wife (who have no children) like to do the cooking. "Some people say they would not have their employees to their house," Lemonis says. "But I don't understand why. [Your employees] know you don't live in a shack. There's nothing wrong with success, and I think it can motivate people to say, If you work hard, you can have this."

Today, one of Lemonis's few personal bows to extravagance is a Bentley. (The other is his 2,000-square-foot closet to house his wardrobe.)

Keeping perspective: Although he doesn't remember those early days in Beirut, Lemonis also can't forget: "When my parents came to that orphanage, they could have chosen anyone. It is a blessing that they chose me."

Marcus Lemonis' Interview with Arthur Kade

Marcus Lemonis from CNBC Prime's "The Profit" chats with Arthur Kade #InTheLab about his new show where he rescues businesses, like a car wash owned by brothers and New Jersey ice cream shop. He talks about his personal business experiences and explains the passion and drive needed to maintain a good business, even if it means firing the company's president.

Entrepreneur Confessions from Making It!

Marcus Lemonis: The Lebanese Orphan Who Became The Transformer

Marcus Lemonis' Interview with Arthur Kade